Kiss’ Original Members Respond to Receiving Kennedy Center Honors

The original members of Kiss — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss — have commented on being selected to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

“Kiss is the embodiment of the American dream,” Simmons told TMZ. “We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”

Stanley had the most to say of the quartet. “From our earliest days, Kiss has embodied the American ideal that all things are possible and that hard work pays off,” he said. “The prestige of the Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overstated and I accept this on behalf of the long legacy of Kiss and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band.”

READ MORE: Kiss Band Member Power Rankings

Frehley, meanwhile, called the Kennedy Center Honors “a dream come true that I never thought would materialize.”

Criss also kept it simple: “I feel so blessed. This is the greatest honor of our career.”

When Will Kiss Receive the Kennedy Center Honors?

President Donald Trump will present the face-painted rockers with the award in a Dec. 7 ceremony that will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ at a later date. He will also bestow the honor upon George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford and Gloria Gaynor during the ceremony.

Trump announced the Kennedy Center honorees on Wednesday, referring to Kiss as an “incredible” and hardworking group of musicians.

READ MORE: Kiss Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide

“Kiss became a global phenomenon, sold more than 100 million records worldwide and produced 30 gold albums and lots of other things they produced, they made a fortune,” Trump said.

The president also teased “something special” from the rockers, all four of whom are expected to attend but not perform at the ceremony, according to radio host Eddie Trunk’s “very reliable source.”

READ MORE: How Peter Criss’ Onstage Sabotage Ended Kiss’ Original Lineup

“They’re going to do something very special,” he said. “Kiss is gonna be here on, a little bit before the show I think, they’re going to do something special, we’re going to have a great time.”

Trump Was ‘Very Involved’ in Kennedy Center Honors Selection Process

Trump said he was “very involved” in the process of selecting this year’s Kennedy Center honorees — a change from the typical selection process, NPR reports.

Normally, a bipartisan group of Kennedy Center board members, with input from previous honorees and the general public, will undergo a months-long process to select new honorees. But Trump said he’d already selected the recipients on Tuesday — the same day longtime Kennedy Center Honors executive producer Matthew Winer announced his resignation.

Although Trump said personal politics didn’t play into his selections for this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, he did boast that he jettisoned “a couple of wokesters” suggested by the board.